An electronic device such as a computer employs a memory subsystem having one or more memory devices. In some cases, the memory subsystem can be configured to store data with error correction code (ECC) information such that certain types of errors in the data can be detected and corrected. The ECC information be used to provide protection against errors in the data of up to a predefined number of bits.
An issue associated with using ECC protection for data stored in a memory subsystem is that ECC information can take up a substantial portion of storage capacity. For every collection of data bits of a certain length (e.g., a byte), corresponding ECC information is stored. For example, for every byte of data, the accompanying ECC information can take up 5 or 6 bits. As a result, when ECC protection is used, the available storage capacity of a memory subsystem is reduced.